Skip to ContentGo to accessibility pageKeyboard shortcuts menu
OpenStax Logo
American Government 3e

Key Terms

American Government 3eKey Terms
agenda setting
the media’s ability to choose which issues or topics get attention
beat
the coverage area assigned to journalists for news or stories
citizen journalism
video and print news posted to the Internet or social media by citizens rather than the news media
cultivation theory
the idea that media affect a citizen’s worldview through the information presented
digital paywall
the need for a paid subscription to access published online material
equal-time rule
an FCC policy that all candidates running for office must be given the same radio and television airtime opportunities
fairness doctrine
a 1949 Federal Communications Commission (FCC) policy, now defunct, that required holders of broadcast licenses to cover controversial issues in a balanced manner
framing
the process of giving a news story a specific context or background
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
a federal statute that requires public agencies to provide certain types of information requested by citizens
hypodermic theory
the idea that information is placed in a citizen’s brain and accepted
indecency regulations
laws that limit indecent and obscene material on public airwaves
libel
printed information about a person or organization that is not true and harms the reputation of the person or organization
mass media
the collection of all media forms that communicate information to the general public
minimal effects theory
the idea that the media have little effect on citizens
muckraking
news coverage focusing on exposing corrupt business and government practices
party press era
period during the 1780s in which newspaper content was biased by political partisanship
priming
the process of predisposing readers or viewers to think a particular way
prior restraint
a government action that stops someone from doing something before they are able to do it (e.g., forbidding someone to publish a book they plan to release)
public relations
biased communication intended to improve the image of people, companies, or organizations
reporter’s privilege
the right of a journalist to keep a source confidential
slander
spoken information about a person or organization that is not true and harms the reputation of the person or organization
soft news
news presented in an entertaining style
sunshine laws
laws that require government documents and proceedings to be made public
yellow journalism
sensationalized coverage of scandals and human interest stories
PreviousNext
Order a print copy
Citation/Attribution

This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's permission.

Want to cite, share, or modify this book? This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution License and you must attribute OpenStax.

Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/american-government-3e/pages/1-introduction
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a digital format, then you must include on every digital page view the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/american-government-3e/pages/1-introduction
Citation information

© Jul 18, 2024 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.